Phil Ivey has been labeled as the greatest poker competitor on the planet by most of the top-ranked professionals. Phil Ivey was born in Riverside, CA and relocated to Jersey before his first birthday. His grandfather taught Phil penny-ante Five-Card Stud poker. From then on on, he was addicted to poker and wished to pickup anything he could about the game. He routinely told his grandparents that he wanted to be a professional poker player. He didn’t permit the detrimental comments from other people destroy his goal of being one of the best poker players on the planet.

Phil started playing seriously after getting a fake ID by the name of Jerome. He honed his game at the casinos in Atlantic City. The first number of years for him were a learning period and coming away with a win wasn’t a common outcome at the time. He became known at the 2000 WSOP when he made 2 final tables and came away with his first World Series of Poker bracelet, in a $2, five hundred Pot-Limit Omaha match. At the final table he destroyed quite a few of the well known pros including but not limited to "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.

He decided to take his game to the next level and headed out west to Vegas. Phil continues to play in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players on the planet. Phil credits his success to hard work and a continuing love for the game of poker. He says that he’s learning every day and is quite abashed about his achievements. He knows he makes mistakes every single game of poker and always strives to improve.

Despite the fact that Ivey has come first in some large tournaments, he likes winning cash games on a normal basis.